Sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) nematocyst venom: mechanism of action on muscle

Tentacle Transcriptome and Venom Proteome of the Pacific Sea Nettle, Chrysaora fuscescens (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)

Jellyfish venoms are rich sources of toxins designed to capture prey or deter predators, but they can also elicit harmful effects in humans. In this study, an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach was used to identify putative toxins and their potential role in the venom of the scyphozoan jellyfish Chrysaora fuscescens. A de novo tentacle transcriptome, containing more than 23,000 contigs, was constructed and used in proteomic analysis of C. fuscescens venom to identify potential toxins. From a total of 163 proteins identified in the venom proteome, 27 were classified as putative toxins and grouped into six protein families: proteinases, venom allergens, C-type lectins, pore-forming toxins, glycoside hydrolases and enzyme inhibitors. Other putative toxins identified in the transcriptome, but not the proteome, included additional proteinases as well as lipases and deoxyribonucleases. Sequence analysis also revealed the presence of ShKT domains in two putative venom proteins from the proteome and an additional 15 from the transcriptome, suggesting potential ion channel blockade or modulatory activities. Comparison of these potential toxins to those from other cnidarians provided insight into their possible roles in C. fuscescens venom and an overview of the diversity of potential toxin families in cnidarian venoms.

Pathophysiology of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), envenomation in a rat model and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen and verapamil treatment

The effect of lethal sea nettle envenomation on the morphology and blood flow in various rat organs was characterized and the influence of two antidotes (hyperbaric oxygen and verapamil) was compared. Either antidote slightly prolonged survival, but the protective effects were not statistically significant. The venom caused no histologic alterations in brain, heart, or lungs but induced hepatic and renal necrosis. Hepatocytes in mid-zonal regions and renal tubular epithelium were the cell types predominantly affected. Hyperbaric oxygen and verapamil did not decrease the hepatic injury. The venom did not influence central hemodynamics until preterminally and it diminished blood flow to brain, but not to liver or kidney. Hyperbaric oxygenation protected against venom-induced decreases in blood flow to the brain. These results add toxic hepatic and renal necrosis and cerebral ischemia to the pathophysiology of envenomation in this model.

The nematocyst extract of Hydra attenuata causes single channel events in lipid bilayers

The nematocyst extract of Hydra attenuata causes single conductance events in reconstituted planar lipid membranes as well as in inside-out patches derived from liposomes. The smallest single channel conductance level of the toxins is 110 pS. The conductance levels increase stepwise with time up to 2000 pS. These large conductance jumps indicate channel cooperativity. If the membrane-voltage is changed from positive to negative values, the single channel events become undefined and noisy, indicating major reorganizations of the proteins which form the channels. The molecular properties of the ionophoric component(s) of the nematocyst extract may help explain the observed macroscopic effects, such as hemolysis of human erythrocytes, after addition of the nematocyst extract.

Hemolytic and toxic properties of Hydra attenuata nematocysts

Crude extract prepared from isolated and purified nematocysts (stenoteles, desmonemes, isorhizas) of Hydra attenuata Pall. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) contains two main toxic proteins. The first is a hemolysin (100-200,000 mol.wt) which also causes initial spasmodic contractions in larval and adult specimens of Drosophila. Both, hemolytic and neurotoxic activities are inhibited by low concentrations of Triton X-100. The second protein (30-100,000 mol.wt), which is not susceptible to Triton causes long lasting paralysis leading to death of the test animals (LD50 approximately 5 mg crude nematocyst extract per kg). Neither of the toxins is identical with the previously described phospholipase.

Effect of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) venom on isolated rat aorta

The venom from sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) (1-10 micrograms/ml) produced an irreversible contraction of the isolated rat aortic ring that was slow in onset, increased with time, and reached maximum in about 10-20 min. The contraction was not inhibited by pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine, atropine, indomethacin, tetrodotoxin, ouabain, low Na+ or Na+-free medium, however, it was markedly decreased by the Ca2+ channel blockers, nifedipine and verapamil. In Ca2+-free medium, no increase in tension was produced by the venom. It is concluded that sea nettle venom causes a contraction of the rat aortic ring by increasing Ca2+ influx through the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.

Venomous pelagic coelenterates: chemistry, toxicology, immunology and treatment of their stings

Ten years have elapsed since our last review article on the toxicology of venomous pelagic coelenterates was published (Burnett and Calton, 1977). Investigation on important medusae and the chemistry of their nematocyst venoms have been expanding. The venomous jellyfish discussed here include the Portuguese man-o'war, (Physalia physalis), the sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), the box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri and/or Chiropsalmus quadrigatus), the cabbage head jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), the lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), the Irukandji jellyfish (Carukia barnesi), the Moreton Bay Carybdeid medusa (Morbakka), and the mauve blubber (Pelagia noctiluca).

Actions of cardiotoxins from the southern Chinese cobra (Naja naja atra) on rat cardiac tissue

The cardiotoxic actions of southern Chinese cobra (Naja naja atra) venom have been investigated. Cardiotoxicity accounted for lethality of crude venom in anaesthetized rats and cardiotoxic polypeptides constituted the bulk of the venom when it was fractionated by CM-Sephadex chromatography. The cardiotoxic actions of these polypeptides were investigated in isolated cardiac tissue. Actions of cardiotoxins on rate, force and intracellular potentials occurred more readily in ventricular tissue and were reversible in all cardiac tissues. Bolus injections of cardiotoxins to perfused rat hearts produced profound changes in intracellular potentials, but such changes were reversed by 10 min after toxin wash-out. The changes included depolarization and loss of the fast phase (0) of the action potential. The loss of beating and contracture produced by cardiotoxins in isolated atria and ventricles showed such marked tachyphylaxis that toxicity was lost after 2-5 exposures. Both calcium and heparin ameliorated the cardiotoxic actions of cardiotoxins. Since the actions of cardiotoxin were partially selective for ventricular tissue, reversible, demonstrated tachyphylaxis and could be prevented, it is suggested that a specific molecular mechanism may be involved, rather than a non-specific action such as cell membrane destruction.

Immunochromatographic purification of a nematocyst toxin from the cnidarian Chironex fleckeri (sea wasp)

A cardiotoxin from "milked venom" of the sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri) was purified by immunochromatography on an immobilized mouse monoclonal anti-Portuguese man-o'war (Physalia physalis) venom antibody column. The 20,000 molecular weight toxin caused bradycardia followed by cell lysis when applied to cultured chick embryonic cardiocytes at concentrations higher than 1.7 micrograms protein per ml and was lethal to mice at 0.04 micrograms protein per g. The toxin affected ion permeability in lipid bilayer membranes by forming monovalent cation channels.